Best Tent Camping near Lake Mills, WI

Recent Tent Reviews near Lake Mills, Wisconsin

654 Reviews of 10 Lake Mills Campgrounds

• 

  Josh F.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 25, 2020

  Snug Harbor Inn Campground on Turtle Lake

  RV campground with lake access

  I did not stay here, but I spend some time walking through to get a feel for the place.

  This is primarily an RV/mobile home campground, but there are some nicely tucked away tent camp sites that I'll recommend later in this review. Gravel roads connect the three loops and the landscaping is well kept and maintained. The campground sells ice, firewood and rents boats.

  There is a very clean bathroom and bathhouse, freshwater for campers, and some electric tent campsites. The property is basically terraced along a slope down to the lake, with the RV and mobile home sites closer to the lake. The tent sites are above it all with decent views of the lake below (and the RVs). 

  The Galapagos tent campsite is elevated and a short distance from the loop road, and has a nice view of the lake. The Box Turtle site is also a bit elevated above the main driveway as is Snapper 7, though I am not sure where you are supposed to put your tent in that site.

  Now, Snapper 4, 5,6 and 7 would be nice for group camping because they are all very close to one another and a bit more private, set away from the rest of the campsites. There are lots of electrical sites for campers and RVs, most of which look like they are quite permanently in place.

• 

  Mel C.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2019

  Timber Trail Campground

  Nice campground right in our backyard!

  I have camped here many times as a kid and always loved it. We recently came here with a large group and tent camped at one of the large tent sites. I believe there are only 2 non-electric tent sites but the large huge and grassy with excellent privacy. The managers/owners of the camp are really nice and laid back. There is a small fishing pond off the back side of the non-electric sites and there is a nice outdoor pool and indoor jacuzzi next to a large rec room/bar. I haven't seen it personally but I know they have live music and summer events. We love that this place is so close, we get to get away without the long drive!

• 

  Josh F.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 25, 2020

  Milton-Madison SE KOA

  RV/Mobile Home Campground with lots to do

  I did not stay at this campground, but drove through it to see the place. I was looking for tent campsites and if there are any, they were under the tires of an RV. There are lots of things to do here, but tent camping is not one of them. I have nothing bad or good to say about the place, just letting tent campers know that this might not be the place for them.

• 

  Josh F.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 3, 2020

  Hebron Campground

  Small, Tidy with Lots of Waterworks

  This is a relatively small, private campground mostly for RVs though there are some very nice sites that would be lovely for tents. There are a dozen tent sites that back up to a very charming river, each one has a picnic table and fire pit. The view of the river from these sites is lovely. Adding to the waterworks, there is a cute pond with a charming fountain in the center of the RV sites, and a nice horseshoes pit. There are a number of RV sites with full hookups. 

  I spoke with the owner and they did not have tent camping in 2020. They were worried about people in too close proximity in the restroom. In 2020 they only allowed RVs that had their own restroom facilities. The owner told me that maybe there will be tent camping in 2021.

• R

  Ryan

  Scout

  

  Jun. 6, 2021

  Brigham Park

  Nice spot for tent camping

  Was in site 20. Nice spot for tent camping and enough room from each neighbor.

• 

  Juliya R.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 22, 2020

  Kettle Moraine South Camping — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

  Secluded and not too busy

  Making reservations at the group site was easy and ensured no other campers were near us. Beach access and a great tree canopy allowed for comfortable tent camping.

• 

  Tracey S.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 1, 2021

  Madison KOA Campground

  Great overnight stop stay

  This KOA, bought by new owners, was a great overnight! Clean bathrooms/showers, nice pool, long-level gravel sites, full hook ups, nice town, nice camp store, super nice owner! Would absolutely stay again! Even have a few tent camping sites

• J

  Juliana

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 14, 2021

  New Glarus State Park Campground

  Quiet!

  Camped here in a camper van. Very quiet (mid week in September). Very well maintained trails. Most sites are spacious, shady. I did not check out the tent sites, but the one I did see was really nice. A bit of highway noise, certainly nothing bad.

• A

  AC H.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 3, 2018

  Northern Lights Campground — Devils Lake State Park

  Favorite spot in WI

  Been going here every year with friends for over a decade. Nice size tent sites, great beaches with some nice amenities, like SUP and boat rentals, snack bar, fishing, etc. Awesome camp store and the hiking is fantastic. Gets busy because of its location to UW, and because it's awesome. ;)

• 

  Josh F.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 25, 2020

  Muskego Park by Waukesha County Parks

  A county park with lots to offer

  I did not stay at this park, but did drive and walk through it to get a feel for it. There are a number of sites I'd love to tent camp in.

  This park is bounded by a lake with a nice beach. There are nicely-groomed volleyball courts, picnic shelters and abundant picnic tables. There are pit toilets throughout the campground and one flush toilet station in the public picnicking area.

  The campsites are up the hill from the public areas I just described. Sites 1 through 8 are in an oak savannah, semi-shaded but mostly in a grassland area. Sites are grassy with no gravel pads for parking.

  The group camping area is slightly shaded, but would be warm and sunny midday. Group site 19 is probably one of the shadiest areas.

  Now, sites 22 and 23, 24, 25 and 26 are very cool. The campsites are in the midst of a pine forest. It would be sweet to tent camp there and listen to the wind in those trees. Note, there is no camping IN among the pine forest, and these sites are going to be quite sunny and warm midday without much shade.

• L

  Lula L.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 31, 2019

  Ice Age Campground — Devils Lake State Park

  Great hiking on lake

  Open pad sites for tent camping under tree canopy, great hiking over looking swimming and boating lake.  Requires WI St Park pass to get in plus camping fees.   Has both vault and flush toilets w showers.  Close to town for other activities, near Wi Dells Water park 21 ,miles not a bad drive. 

  Part of the ice age trail system maintained hiking trails are great.

• 

  Terra F.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 18, 2018

  Quartzite Campground — Devils Lake State Park

  Phenomenal park, some campsites are full sun and NOT tent friendly

  The trails and the views at this park are phenomenal. Find pictures of the campsites if possible, because some of the sites get a LOT of sun, and as we tent camp, it can be unbearable for our children. (We’ve camped with them yearly here since our littlest was 2, and that was the year we got a not so shaded site. Lesson learned.)

• 

  Brady J.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 24, 2023

  Quartzite Campground — Devils Lake State Park

  Busy but enjoyable

  We tent camped in the quartzite campground. Overall a pretty much wide open campground with virtually zero privacy so if you’re looking for that, look elsewhere. With that said, we enjoyed our stay as the sites along the perimeter are a little more private being along the tree line and decent space between each site. The park itself is beautiful and look forward to coming back

• 

  Kevin C.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 7, 2021

  Snug Harbor Inn Campground on Turtle Lake

  Nice quite lake

  I can not tell you how many times I’ve been here. My son lives within seconds of here so it is very convenient. They gave on site bathrooms and showers. Electric, water and sewer hookups. They also have tent sites. This season there will be née owners so I hope they keep some of the annual activities.

• 

  Michael L.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 19, 2021

  Astico County Park

  First time this year

  This a dodge county campground we have been to 3 out of the 4. So fare Astico is are more favorable. There are 3 areas. River witch are electric. Point tent camping only upper, Danville are electric. There are pit toilets also a main shower bathrooms. Camp hostess are great. They help with camp wood with they ask if you want bundles or lose choose loose. They also have canoes and kayaks to rent. We will be going back.

• 

  Scott K.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 14, 2022

  Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

  Hard to ask for a better campground.

  A little hard to find at first. GPS will take you to a service road as the entrance, actual entrance is on the other side of the lake just before The Boat House Bar.

  Came in really late without a reservation but they have a self check in. Small cards next to check in booth. I recommend snagging an RV site. The price is the same and it’s way better. Tent camping area was really muddy. I only brought a hammock but could easily fit six tents on my site alone. Roads and facilities are in great shape. Constant hot water.

• 

  Sarah N.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 5, 2021

  Kettle Moraine South Camping — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

  Privacy is the Best Part!

  To start: I’m an RV camper who stayed in one of the electric sites this go-around, but I’ve tent camped here in the past as well.

  I’ll start with what I loved; the sites here are VERY private. You only get glimpses of your neighbors through the thick foliage. Doesn’t get much more private than this in a campground with hookups!

  The bathrooms are pretty dirty (dead bugs everywhere).

  Be careful about your site selection; do NOT camp along the road if you plan to be outside or you’re tent camping. I know from prior experience that it’s EXTREMELY loud at almost all times of day.

  There’s a good playground and beach, but they’re a bit far from the campsites. On an extremely hot day you might want to drive rather than walk, especially with little ones.

  If you’re camping with your dog you won’t find great trail access from the campground; the closest trail doesn’t permit dogs. I’d also avoid the dog beach like the plague. I didn’t see much in the way of posted rules, and people apparently had no problem bringing their untrained, unsocialized dogs. My dog was attacked by two dogs who wanted to get at her toy and the owners did nothing to stop it. My husband received a lovely bite from one of the dogs when he tried to fight them off.

  This campground could be stellar with just a few tweaks. Overall I’d say it’s a decent enough place to stay when visiting Kettle and I’ll likely be back.

• 

  Josh F.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 3, 2020

  Circle K Campgroud

  Best for RVs, lots to do

  This is a campground with semi-permanent and permanent trailers and RVs. Sites have electricity and water hookups. There is a nice little pond in the park and it's very well maintained and groomed. They have little go-karts and bikes to rent, they have propane gas to rent and sell ice. They also have Wi-Fi!

  I spoke with the owner, there are tent sites, but unless you were with an RV group, a tent camper might feel a bit out of place. Still, it's out of the way from traffic and other noises, has a very park-like feel to it and the owner was very nice when I spoke with him.

• 

  Paul N.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 26, 2020

  Ice Age Campground — Devils Lake State Park

  Nature’s gym

  May family tent camped here for the first time this year, 2020. The site (514) was spacious enough for a 10 person, and a 6 person tent. There were enough trees to mostly block out your neighbors, and it’s up on a slight hill so if it does rain the water would drain away from your tent(s).

  The state park itself has several trails with varying degrees of difficulty. My son and I opted to take the 4 mile loop around the lake that included the 900 foot assent, and crown back down the face of the ‘mountain’?? The landscape surrounding Devils Lake is gorgeous, and the lake is large, and offers plenty of things to do.

  Unfortunately during these COVID-19 times the boat rental was not open, but there was plenty of beach to hang out on.

  We will definitely be heading back next year.

• 

  Alexis R.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 22, 2022

  Skillet Creek Campground

  Not for the primitive camper

  If you’re looking for a casual family friendly campground with lots of amenities and activities for kids, this place is for you. Unfortunately, as a tent camper, secluded primitive sites won’t be found here. You’ll be hearing the rustling of other campers, screams from playing children, and loud music playing up to 10pm.

  I imagine it would be fun as a family camping trip, but as a couple looking to getaway from the busy life, solitude was not found here.

  As far as the primitive sites go, the sites are too close together and hardly anything covering between so you can see/hear everything your tent camping neighbors are doing.

  The ground was unkept on our site, making tent placement difficult and unable to lay the tent flat.

  This reservation was a last minute decision since devils lake campground was completely booked. It did the job. A bit pricey for the experience though.

• 

  Annie C.

  Legend

  

  May. 1, 2020

  Sky High Camping Resort

  Resort camping in the clouds

  Took a tour of Sky Haven on a whim. Talk about full service camping! They have everything here- tent sites, RV sites, cabins, nightly, weekly, and long term rates. Frisbee golf, mini golf, a "mining" site, go carts, game room, showers, laundry. It was pretty overwhelming as I don't camp this way. But for a family gathering or reunion, or a big trip, this could be just right for you. Rates were reasonable for all the services you get. I liked the views since the place is up on top of a "mountain".  The staff was really friendly and welcoming and answered every silly question of mine with a smile. Not my camping jam, but definitely nice.

• L

  Lauren S.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 18, 2023

  Harnischfeger County Park

  A hidden gem

  We booked a week here in 2022 and ended up staying for two summers as camp hosts. The park is quiet, family orientated, and the park caretaker John is a national treasure. He’s been with the park since before it was county owned and knows every nook and cranny, critter and creature, and appreciates each and every guest who comes to the park. His one rule is to enjoy the park and let the staff know if you have any ideas to help to “keep it fresh”. Sites with letters are tent sites without water or electric, sites with numbers have water and 30 amp service, though there are plans to upgrade the sites to all have water and 50 amp service in the future. The last weekend of September is FallFest and often books a year in advance.

• 

  Josh F.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 25, 2020

  Pettits Lakeview Campground & Bar

  If you're an RV camper, this place has a nice beach

  I didn't stay here but I did walk through the place to get to know it. This is an RV campground, I did not see any places for tent camping. 

  There is a nice playground and four sand volleyball courts. Staying in the campground allows for easy lake access. Be warned, do not park a car/boat trailer and take off in the lake, they're serious about towing non-campers. 

  This campground caters to RVs, mobile homes, permanent dwellings and semi-permanent RVs parked to stay. RV hookups with electrical and water/ sewer.

  The large sandy beach has lots of space, easy access to both the water and a bar and grill with outdoor seating and lots of umbrellas. The beach features a few beach games and a small amount of seating on the sand. Not many trees for shade, RVs are parked out in the open and would be hot in the summer.

• 

  Kim L.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 28, 2019

  Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

  Great state park for family RV camping

  I love everything about this park except the beach, so it didn’t get a 5 star. We stayed at site 98- just barely big enough to fit our travel trailer in and right next to the showers and bathrooms. Not a great location, but fine. Took a walk around and found plenty of other large, private shaded electric sites. If we came here again I would go for a site away from the bathroom. The tent sites looks fantastic- large and private. Plenty of hiking trails here, a decent playground, and tons of large fields to picnic in. Park has a Facebook page where they post activities. Friday night we saw a presentation on the cranes of Wisconsin, and Saturday morning we did a parkwide scavenger hunt. All fun for the family. We would definitely camp here again. The beach is across the very busy road, and has about 10 ft of sand before the road. Fine for a dip, but not relaxing. Very crowded. Other beaches are nearby but not free. Town of Lake Geneva is very cute in an upscale tourist way. Our kid found the museum a lot of fun.

• 

  Josh F.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 5, 2020

  Creekview RV Park

  Pretty Park, Really Close to the Highway

  This is a small RV and tent campground. A charming little creek runs through it, giving the place its name. There are water and electric hookups for RVs. Some sites have picnic tables, but not all of them. RV sites have ample gravel pads for parking. There is a central sewer dump for RVs, and a small building with bathroom facilities - I didn't get a look inside -- I don't know if it is flush toilets or a pit.

  The campground is very close to the freeway and there is a constant din of traffic noise that remind you how close you are to the highway.  See (and listen) to my video to experience just how close the highway is.

  On the plus side, golfers can walk next door to a three-par course.

• S

  Sheena M.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 7, 2019

  Bark River Campground and Resort

  The people who work there are great!

  The people who work there are wonderful and even most of the seasonal campers we met were very nice people. We did have a few run ins with some not so good people however and the cops visit there often. The owners do their part to make things right however and immediately made the people causing trouble to leave. We were there for about a month and overall it was a good place to stay. Our tent site was right next to the playground, pool and bathrooms which made it convenient for our children, however kids run all over at night on the weekends until 2 am so the noise at that hour can be annoying. We also went through several storms while there and were offered parts for one of our canopies that blew away and the security guy who was always nice to us tied our other canopy to a tree when it also blew away to prevent it from going farther and being more damaged. Bathrooms I would give a 2 star rating alone.

• S

  Sugar Maple S.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 19, 2020

  Pike Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake Unit

  Feels Like Home

  After an extended time at Pike Lake campground, we've come to feel like this is home.

  Each of the 32 sites is unique in their own way. Some are large and flat perfect for a class A (#2 #4, #29 #31 is okay, but smaller), some incorporate the geography into the site (#23 & #17 - very much tent sites, #15 great for a small trailer, #7NE, #9NE). There is a TIGHT turn in the campground loop near site #17 to be aware of with longer trailers. Generally, the inner ring is electric (except #23) and the outer ring is non-electric. Flush bathrooms and clean showers. Three backpacking sites off the IAT - one prairie, two wooded. B2 and B3 are large. 

  Hiking is great beginner trails within the park and connects to the IAT (Ice Age Trail). Bike trail now connects to the campground making biking to Pike Lake possible. The campground is on the opposite side of the park from the lake, so driving or biking are the options to get from the campground to the water. 

  Close to all of the troubleshooting options for new campers (Walmart, grocery, fast food, vegan grocery store & coffee shop).